Senecio plant named ‘Sunseneslipi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Senecio  plant named ‘Sunseneslipi’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with pale pink-colored ray florets and red purple-colored disc florets; ray florets with acute or deeply incised apices.

Botanical designation: Senecio cruentus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSENESLIPI’.

CROSS REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Senecio Plant Named ‘SUNSENESLILAV’

Applicant: Tomoya Misato

Filed: Concurrently with this application

Title: Senecio Plant Named ‘SUNSENESLISBU’

Applicant: Tomoya Misato

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecio plant, botanically known as Senecio cruentus, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunseneslipi’.

The new Senecio plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright and uniformly mounding Senecio plants with a freely-branching habit and numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Senecio plant originated from a cross pollination conducted by the Inventor in March, 2008 of a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentus identified as code name SNB, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentus identified as code name KP5, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Senecio plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in February, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since February, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Senecio plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunseneslipi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunseneslipi’ as a new and distinct Senecio plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with pale pink-colored ray florets         and red purple-colored disc florets; ray florets with acute or         deeply incised apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have violet-colored ray florets.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio have acute or deeply         incised apices whereas ray florets of plants of the female         parent selection have acute or praemorse apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have pink-colored ray florets.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio have acute or deeply         incised apices whereas ray florets of plants of the male parent         selection have acute or praemorse apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneslilav’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/544,304, and Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneslisbu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/544,305. Plants of the new Senecio differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunseneslilav’ and ‘Sunseneslisbu’ in ray floret color.

Plants of the new Senecio can also be compared to plants of Senecio cruentus×Senecio heritierii ‘Sunsenekabapi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,461. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Senecio differed from plants of ‘Sunsenekabapi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio were more compact than plants of         ‘Sunsenekabapi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Senecio had smaller and lighter         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Sunsenekabapi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Senecio had smaller inflorescences than         plants of ‘Sunsenekabapi’.     -   4. Plants of the new Senecio and ‘Sunsenekabapi’ differed in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Sunsenekabapi’ had purple         violet-colored ray florets.     -   5. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio had acute or deeply         incised apices whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Sunsenekabapi’         had acute or praemorse apices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Senecio plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Senecio plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunseneslipi’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunseneslipi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Senecio production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged 5° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneslipi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio             cruentus identified as code name SNB, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio             cruentus identified as code name KP5, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20°             C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounded             plant habit; daisy-type inflorescences positioned above the             foliar plane; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 21.1 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15.7 cm. Diameter: About             3.2 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 3.8 cm. Width: About 4.4 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Shallowly dentate; slightly to             moderately undulate. Texture, upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 144C. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 145B. Leaf petioles: Length: About 3.4 cm.             Diameter: About 1.9 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescences with narrowly             elliptic-shaped ray florets with acute or deeply incised             apices; inflorescences arising from upper leaf axils and             positioned above the foliar plane; disc and ray florets             developing acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face             upright and outwardly; freely flowering habit with numerous             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Senecio begin             flowering about 22 weeks after planting; plants flower             continuously from winter to late spring in Japan.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 7.4 mm. Diameter: About             6.7 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 70B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.9 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.7 cm. Disc diameter: About 8.7 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Length: About 2.2 cm.             Width: About 8 mm. Apex: Acute or deeply incised. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Initially upright, then             horizontal and reflexing with development. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 13 in a single whorl.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 76C. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 76C; color does not change with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 7.8 mm. Diameter, at apex: About 1.8 mm.             Number of disc floret per inflorescence: About 120. Color,             immature: Close to 64A. Color, mature: Close to 64B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 in a single             whorl. Length: About 7.4 mm. Width: About 1.7 mm. Shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: Close to 144A; towards the apex, close             to N77A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to somewhat outwardly.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 70A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 13A.             Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma             shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 70A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Senecio. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Senecio have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Senecio     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sunseneslipi’ as illustrated and described. 